1-31-2025 Week In Review

Energy

Crude inventory up a bit, with distillates down, and gasoline up. SPR up a bit. Price at the pump has barely budged and should continue in a narrow band.

Politics

It is the same old, same old. It was funny, but is now getting boring. Example: When there is a school shooting, we know what is said immediately by both sides. A plane crash provides us with the same dynamics, but in opposite polarization. 

Unfortunately, there is a history regarding this issue, dating back to the Obama presidency, which is in the courts since 2014 and is still not resolved, as of 1-29-2025.

BRIGIDA v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

GDP

Annualized at 2.3%. Personal Consumption Expenditures were up dramatically.

While the 4th quarter jump in personal consumption expenditures is not entirely unheard of... I do wonder about the enormous jump in this past quarter and whether I am able to believe it... which I consider a bit shady. 

One possible explanation of this large jump is people buying ahead of potential tariffs. This is solely based on social media posts, which have people talking about buying stuff now, rather than later. Of course, these are social media posts, which are about as believable as... the GDP numbers.

Of course, if those posts are indicative, then the later buying will not take place and personal consumption expenditures will slow considerably in 1Q2025. Of course, politics will come into sharp view. Or rather sharper view.

PCE Report

Considering the target is 2.0%, The FED is okay with a number above that, as they left rates unchanged. Clearly there is concern for inflation, but there are some troubling signs... regarding the economy.

The Snow has almost melted.

Almost, as it has been 27 days and the temps are expected to be near 60 for a couple of days, and above freezing til the 9th.

End of the line

I am getting so bored with the current news cycle. I think it is time to simply blog, when there is something of interest.

Also, I have had adsense running and think it is time to remove adsense from this blog. I am the only person interested, so it makes more sense to cut adsense. My reasons for adsense were mostly to understand the audience, but since there isn't any... there you go. Besides, there never was any meaningful knowledge to gain, that was not already present under stats. 

Also, I always checked from my home screen and never really looked at the end product on line. I recently checked and clearly, I do not know how to properly place ads. It is rather embarrassing.

Adios!

1-24-2025 Week In Review

Current Rage...

I probably should stop watching UK's Sky News. I was watching it during the swearing in and their announcer said something that just hit me the very, very wrong way. For the record, it was not something derogatory about Trump, which is typical of this outfit, while ignoring anything negative about you know who. 

When did it start...

I am not a historical scholar and would not suggest that political rancor never existed. However, the "butthurt" of losing parties seems to have dialed up in my lifetime. Actually, I would suggest it started with the election of Clinton. 

There was a lot of rumors, etc. during his tenure. With the 2000 election, the opposite party seemed to have some butthurt. The election of Obama gave us the "tea party" and then there was the first term of Trump. Biden followed and now with Trump again. 

Both sides seem to have developed severe cases of "butthurt", imo. I don't see it ending any time soon, either.

Misinformation abounds in unlikely places.

"FBI" agent that took down Capone. That was in a crossword puzzle. Ness was a Prohibition Bureau agent, and the FBI was not in place until 1935, although it was preceded by the Bureau of Investigation. The Prohibition Bureau was originally in the Treasury and absorbed by the BOI (Justice) in early 1933. Late 1933, saw it returned to the Treasury and eventually became the ATF of today.

Make up your damn  minds...

The media kept saying all he does is lie, lie, and lie. Now they are complaining because he actually told the truth. Make up your damn minds... or at least stop losing your minds.

ENERGY

A lot of racket, but no serious movement, imho. Pump prices are set to slightly rise, for both gasoline and diesel. There was a lot of talk about a "draw", which did bring down the total about 3.9M barrels, but the total is still 24.2M barrels ahead of last year on this date.

Birthright citizenship...

Remember this... "so long as they are permitted by the United States to reside here."

United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898) Chinese persons, born out of the United States, remaining subjects of the Emperor of China, and not having become citizens of the United States, are entitled to the protection of, and owe allegiance to, the United States so long as they are permitted by the United States to reside here, and are " subject to the jurisdiction thereof" in the same sense as all other aliens residing in the United States.

If you can't understand that part, then you may be shocked with the final outcome of this. The recent judge's ruling is merely the first salvo, imo.

Weather

Finally, the temps are set to moderate, which means above freezing. Maybe it will last long enough for all this snow to melt. 

That's all for this round.